The best camping stoves of 2019

One of the many amazing things about camping, whether you’re in an RV, van or tent, is you spend a lot of time cooking outdoors. Picture yourself at a campground overlooking the wild Pacific ocean, frying up a dinner of sausage and bell pepper.

Nothing tastes better than food cooked in the outside air!

Even if you have an amazing kitchen setup in your campervan or RV, sometimes, you just feel like being outside.

We have wonderful memories of boondocking in our Chevy Astro van, setting up a simple one-burner stove on a rock, cooking as the sun dipped behind the evergreen trees.

To browse our top picks for the best camping stoves, you can jump straight to our reviews section.

What you should consider before you buy a camping stove

There’s a lot to think about before you buy a portable camping stove. If you’re traveling in a campervan, size and weight will be a big consideration. If you’re a foodie, you’ll want to look at the BTUs and the simmering ability of a camping stove. Also, you’ll need to consider the type of gas, the stove’s ability to block wind and ignition type.

We’ll walk you through each consideration when choosing the best camping stove for your setup, whether you’re in an RV, campervan or tent.

Feel free to skip ahead from item to item, or read through everything.

Gas Types: Propane versus Butane

The two main types of gas camping stoves use are these: propane and butane. There is also iso-butane mix, but that type of fuel is usually reserved for smaller backpacking stoves.

Both butane and propane are combustible fuels made from petroleum. However, they cannot be interchanged on a camping stove, and have their own positives and negatives.

LiveStrong says butane and propane have the exact same heat output, but butane has 12% more energy. That means a butane canister will outlast a propane canister of the same size.

Some people swear by butane stoves as they are smaller and cheaper, but butane can be very hard to find. I’ve hunted near and far for a butane canister in the middle of nowhere, and it isn’t fun. The scarcity of butane means when you find it, it’s more expensive, and there’s no option for a refillable bottle.

To boot, butane doesn’t work if you’re in any temperature that requires a jacket. This is warm weather fuel. Propane, on the other hand, works when it’s chilly outside, so you’ll definitely get that cup of morning joe.

We recommend propane due to the above factors. Our next camping stove will definitely run on those little green bottles. Propane is everywhere, works in cold temperatures, and we love the option to hook up a larger, refillable propane canister. Please note that most propane camp stoves come with the hookups for a 16oz bottle. You’ll have to purchase a separate adaptor to use one of the larger, 5-gallon tanks.

The size and weight of your camping stove

Size and weight are big factors when considering the best camping stoves. One reason we initially bought a one-burner butane stove is that it’s small and easy to store. I’d like our next stove to be lightweight and to easily fold down to store beneath our van’s bench seat. Plus, you don’t necessarily want to haul a heavy stove from your van or RV to the nearest picnic table.

Most tabletop two-burner propane stoves ring in at 16 pounds or less. If you’re super worried about weight and space, you could go with the Jet Boil Base Camp system, but that’s also one of the most expensive.

Want the smallest stove ever for camping? You can get a single-burner JetBoil backpacking stove. If you’re careful enough, you can even balance a pot on top.

The ignition type of your portable stove

There are two ways to light a portable camping stove: with a match or with the push of a button. We definitely prefer to button-pressing types, as it keeps your hands far away from the flame. However, buttons, like anything, can break. This happened to our JetBoil Flash backpacking stove, so now, we always carry matches.

You will pay for the convenience of a push-button ignition. They are a bit more expensive than their counterparts.

No matter what type of ignition you have, always have matches or a lighter on hand.

The number of BTUs your stove emits

A BTU, or British Thermal Unit, measures the amount of heat a gas burner gives off. One BTU will raise the heat of a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. You can also think of one BTU as the heat of one match.

To put this into perspective, your average home kitchen stove will pack about 7,000-10,000 BTUs per burner. Some burners, meant to simmer, put out 3,000-5,000 BTUs.

The higher the BTUs, the faster your food will cook, but a powerful stove also requires more fuel. Some camping stoves, like the Camp Chef Everest, push out an astonishing 20,000 BTUs. With these stoves, you better have extra bottles on hand or hook up to a larger, refillable propane canister.

Your camping stove’s simmer control

If you’re a cook who likes finesse in your outdoor meals, you’ll want to pick a camp stove with good simmer control. Simmer control is a stove’s ability to operate at a lower heat without burning out.

Some camp stoves are notorious for having poor simmer control. They’re either in the “really hot” position, or off. Some campers complain these stoves burn their food and ruin their camping pots.

If you’re just boiling water or cooking high heat, fast meals, simmer control doesn’t matter as much. However, if you’re scrambling eggs, cooking pancakes or slow-roasting a piece of fish, you’ll definitely want simmer control.

Another key factor to simmer control is to check out your camping stove’s windscreens. Good windscreens will help keep that low flame burning, even in breezy conditions.

Waste considerations for propane camping stoves

Most of us will end up purchasing a camping stove that runs on propane. But think about this: if all of us buy propane stoves and those 1-pound disposable green containers, it creates a ton of waste.

According to RefuelYourFun.org, an estimated 40 million disposable one-pound propane cylinders are thrown away every year. Four million of those are tossed in California alone. Many of those are improperly thrown away in landfills, dumpsters or household trash bins. Think about the impact all of our actions are having on the environment.

The solution to this environmental catastrophe is simple: buy a refillable propane container.

Number of burners and griddle options

Before buying the best camping stove for your lifestyle, you’ll want to think about how many burners you want. Tabletop camping stoves usually come in the two-burner style, but there are also one burner and three burner stoves. Some stoves even come with one burner and one griddle.

The number of burners you choose all boils down on how you cook and how much flexibility you need while camping. Do you need to make coffee and breakfast at the same time? Do you make a lot of two pot dinners? Are you cooking for a larger group? Or are you find with one-pot meals?

One couple we camp with regularly uses a simple backpacking stove for all of their dinner needs. They only make one-pot meals while car camping and do most of their food prep at home.

Stoves with more burners will be larger and use more fuel, but also give you more flexibility when cooking in the great outdoors.

Griddles are another option for a portable camping stove. Some stoves, like the Camp Chef Rainier, come with one burner and a non-stick griddle, which is awesome for a heaping pile of pancakes.

Free-standing versus tabletop stoves

The two main types of camping stoves are these: freestanding and tabletop.

Which one you choose depends on how many people you’ll be cooking for, portability and weight.

Tabletop camping stoves are easier to store and carry around, but you need a table to set them on. Freestanding stoves have a higher burner output, larger cooking space and don’t need a table. But, they are heavier, often weighing 30 pounds, and harder to store.

Which type of camping stove you pick is entirely up to you, as there are awesome stoves in both categories.

Best camping stoves comparison table

Need an overview of the best camping stoves we recommend? Take a peek at this table, which should answer your major questions at a glance!

Then, keep on reading for a review and notes on each recommended product.

The best tabletop two-burner camping stoves

Two burner tabletop camping stoves are sure to remind you of family trips in your youth. They’re the most popular type of camping stove and for good reason. Two burner tabletop camping stoves are lightweight, portable and great for cooking versatile meals. If you need coffee at the same time you’re cooking breakfast, a two-burner is definitely for you.

The Camp Chef Everest is a solid camping stove with two high-powered, adjustable burners. Those red-hot burners churn out an astonishing 20,000 BTUs apiece, quickly boiling water for coffee or flash-searing a piece of chicken. But what we love best about this stove is its amazing simmer control. Some reviewers say the flame is easier to adjust than their stove at home! Be ready for a large stove if you go with this one. It can easily fit two 10″ pots, and some people say it’s hard to fit on the end of a standard picnic table.

At $100, we think this is an amazing value for such a powerful camping stove. One downside is the latch mechanisms don’t work as well as the previous stove, so you’ll have to be extra careful when carting the Camp Chef between car and picnic table.

Not interested in the Camp Chef Everest?

Check out the two-burner Stansport Outfitter camping stove, which comes in a close second with 25,000 BTUs per burner. It is more expensive than the Camp Chef Everest without a marked increase in quality.

Many people swear by the familiar green camping stove of their youth: the Coleman Classic. At half the price of the Camp Chef Everest, this affordable stove might be all you need for a weekend camping trip. Sadly, the hardy construction of Coleman stoves has gone downhill over the years, with many reviewers complaining about cheap parts and construction. However, this stove is small, lightweight and a good value for the price. If you’re looking for an affordable stove that works in calm conditions on occasional camping trips, this stove is for you.

The JetBoil Genesis is not a cheap option for a two-burner camping stove, but people who go this route don’t have many complaints. JetBoil stoves are hardy, robust, and made with high-quality parts. This compact, folding stove comes nested between a 5-liter FluxPot and a 10-inch ceramic skillet, which are included. The JetBoil Genesis’ portable size makes it a hit among van lifers and people trying to save space in their rig. It has excellent simmer control and can be attached to other Johnson Outdoor products such as the Luna Satellite Burner or the Eureka camping stove. Reviewers say they can’t imagine going back to a Coleman after using this product.

On the flip side, a couple of people complained about regulators going out in the JetBoil Genesis, but this doesn’t seem like a widespread problem. Also, the JetBoil system easily scratches the pots and pans when packed away. We’d recommend wrapping a microfiber towel around the stove before placing it inside the 5-liter pot.

Is the JetBoil Genesis out of your budget?

The best tabletop single-burner camping stoves

Single-burner camping stoves are great for people looking for minimalist gear, or as an addition to a two-burner stove. Personally, when camping in my van I’ve only used single-burner stoves, and it’s plenty. You can cook amazing one-pot meals, and can prop the stove on almost any surface. We boondocked in Sequoia National Park and cooked on a rock with our one-burner stove.

The fiery little Jet Boil Base Camp Half Gen stove blasts out 10,000 BTUs and is guaranteed to operate in temperatures as low as 20 degrees. This stove is half of the full Jet Boil Base Camp two-burner stove shown above, and can also be attached to other JetBoil products like the Luna Satellite Buner. The satellite burner option means you can make coffee and breakfast at the same time with this hardy stove. Campers love the portability and ruggedness of this portable camping stove. It comes nested in a 1o-inch nonstick ceramic skillet, and packs up into a cute circular bag for easy storage. This stove boasts excellent simmer control for the discerning camp chef.

Many campers swear by Gas One stoves, and the Gas One 3400-G is no exception. This compact, lightweight stove runs on either propane or butane, so you’ll always have a fuel option no matter what you find in the local camping store. This small, one-burner camping stove even comes with a carrying case, so you can cart around and store it with ease. Butane often doesn’t work in cold weather, so reviewers love the propane option. You can even use an adaptor hose to hook this small stove up to a larger, refillable bottle. If you’re looking for an affordable, reliable, small camping stove, this is your best bet.

Want a more powerful one-burner stove from Gas One?

The best freestanding camping stove

Freestanding camping stoves are much heavier than their tabletop counterparts, but are great for larger groups and for situations when you don’t have a picnic table. Worried about storing a freestanding camp stove? Most of them come with removable legs so you can break them down and store them easily. A freestanding camp stove would be great for boondocking. Just attach the legs and you’re ready to roll. No need to carry a separate fold-up table. On the flip side, freestanding camp stoves, even with the legs off, are much bigger and heavier than tabletop stoves.

The Camp Chef Explorer is a powerhouse of a freestanding camping stove with a fiery hot burner output at 30,000 BTUs. There’s nothing you can’t cook on this camping stove with its excellent simmer control. A larger stove like this, with 448-square inches of cooking space, fits larger pots than tabletop camping stoves, which means you can feed larger groups. Plus, your camp cooking will become even more versatile. With the Camp Chef Explorer, you can add other Camp Chef accessories like a portable pizza oven or grill. Talk about fun campground cooking!

Want a higher-capacity freestanding stove?

Best camping stoves that don’t use gas

The Go Sun Solar Portable Stove cooks your dinner using the sun

Some campers out there want to use a camping stove that’s more environmentally friendly. Using a solar or wood-burning camp stove means you don’t need to remember to bring propane or butane on your trip. You also significantly reduce waste as you’re not throwing gas canisters in the trash. Here are our top favorite stoves that can cook a delicious meal without propane or butane.

This portable, lightweight solar oven is an amazing solution to the waste problem caused by disposable gas canisters. The Go Sun Sport can roast, bake or steam a meal in about twenty minutes, with internal temperatures reaching 550 degrees! The outdoor temperature and wind have little to do with this stove’s performance. All it needs is direct sunlight, with a great rule of thumb being if you can see your hand’s shadow, the stove will work. You’d be surprised by the diversity of meals you can prepare with a solar cooker. Anything from cookies, to bread, to pasta sauce, to french toast to a salmon bake.

If you want the taste of food cooked on a grill without the smoke, you might just fall in love with the BioLite Base Camp Woodburning Stove. This amazing stove can fit 8 burgers on its grill, which has an adjustable flame. This stove works by using thermoelectric technology which converts heat to electricity. That electricity charges an internal 2,200 mAh lithium-ion battery and powers a fan to increase the efficiency of the fire. To boot, this wood-burning stove is smart! It has an LED dashboard which lets you monitor both the fire and electricity. Plus, there’s a USB light which illuminates the stove for nighttime cooking. Talk about a fancy fire!

Just a casual glance around your campsite will reveal fuel for this small, but powerful, wood-burning camping stove. The Solo Stove Campfire Stove uses sticks, twigs, pinecones and any other biomass you find laying around. A cooking ring in the stove directs heat towards the center of your pot for reliable, high-heat cooking.

Other camping stoves that deserve a mention

If none of the above portable camping stove fits your fancy, wait! There’s more! If you don’t want a two-burner, one-burner or even a freestanding stove, there are a few other options. With the plethora of camping stoves on the market, you’re sure to find the best one to fit your unique needs.

This hardy stove runs on isobutane-propane fuel, most commonly used in backpacking stoves. These wind-resistant burners can cook food or boil water in the worst of conditions, like on a windy beach or mountain slope. The stove includes an anti-topple feature and self-centering pot for extra stability.

A backpacking stove can double as a camping stove and fits down to a very small size. Good for a hiker who wants to carry their camping stove when out on backcountry adventures.

Camping stove accessories to complete your outdoor kitchen

A good camping stove is just one component to cooking in the great outdoors. Here are our top favorite accessories you might want to consider adding to your outdoor kitchen.

A camping table

If you’re traveling in a campervan or an RV you might not always have access to a campground picnic table. A handy folding camping table like this GCI Outdoor Compact Camp Table 20 will do the trick when you’re boondocking somewhere beautiful. This small aluminum table only weighs a little more than 4 pounds but can support 60 pounds of weight. Perfect for outdoor cooking or dinner under the stars.

A set of cooking utensils for your outdoor kitchen

This set of folding cooking utensils weighs only 9 ounces and includes everything you need for your outdoor kitchen. The GSI Outdoors nForm Crossover Kitchen Kit comes with tongs, a spoon, a spatula, scrubby pad, cutting board, spicer, soap bottle, oil bottle, camp towel and storage tote. The waterproof spice holder can carry four different spices and is easy to refill. A great addition to your camping stove.

A bulk tank hose adaptor

If you’re using a propane camping stove, you’ll probably want to use a larger tank at some point. This 4-foot bulk tank adaptor connects your camp stove to a 2o-pound refillable propane tank. It’s so much better for the environment to use a refillale tank rather than those small green bottles.

About Kristin Hanes

Kristin Hanes is a journalist and writer who lives on a sailboat and in a Chevy Astro van in San Francisco. She worked in radio news for 15 years before a massive layoff in 2016. Kristin has written articles about alternative living published in Good Housekeeping, Business Insider, Marie Claire, SF Gate and The Bold Italic, among others.

[…] Chevy Astro van, which means lots of evenings cooking outside. We love our single-burner Jet Boil camping stove, but putting it down in the dirt kind of sucks. One night, the wind blew viciously down a canyon […]

Hi, I'm Kristin Hanes! I live in a sailboat and in a van, and am editor-in-chief of The Wayward Home, a site all about a new type of American Dream. Stick around to learn about campervans, RV living, sailboats and tiny homes. Head to my About Me page to learn more.

Join the community!

Want more RV, tiny house and van life stories?

Join 12,000+ subscribers to learn more about living tiny and making money remotely. You've found your community.

Success! You are now subscribed to The Wayward Home. Thanks so much for joining, and watch for a few messages from me in your inbox. Kristin

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address

I'd like to receive the free email course. We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit